Ocean swimming, writing and music are my passions. Content includes spooky flashbacks to the '70s and '80s and stuff about sharks. Feedback is welcome if you pass this way.

Sunday, 4 March 2012

The Barney Mullins Swim Classic at Freshwater: the long run in and back out

Bringing in the buoys after the Barney Mullins Swim Classic at Freshwater

The ocean swimming community has been lucky this year because the sun always decides to pop in for a visit on the day of an event. Afterwards, it skulks back behind dark ominous clouds and disappears for the rest of the week.

Today was brillo. Sun. Sun so hot that it could fry an egg on an old codger's barnacled back.

Ms Fivestar came with me today because she had the urge to be near the sea. A good decision. The conditions at Freshwater were perfect for paddlers even though there was a bit of a rip to begin with.

I don't know a lot about Freshwater except that it's the beach over the hill from Queenscliff. It's a gorgeous beach and more wavy than I remembered it from my last trip there about 20 years ago.

The course was a clockwise 1.5 km (afterwards there was a rumour going around that it was more like 1.8 km, which I'd like to believe considering my time).

The problem for me was the getting out as it was really shallow for the first 50 metres or so. Then I got whacked and dragged back by a crappy wave. Getting back in after the swim also required me to run through the shallows - not my strength. I was still happy with my time - until I encountered my opposition Mr Very Big (VB). He did the swim in 33 minutes to my 35 (adjusted since first putting up this post because the female swimmers started three minutes after the men). Ah, life.

When the swim was over Ms Fivestar, Ms Loveachat (who turned up) and I went to the Pilu Kiosk for a bite to eat. I thought I took a photo of it but I can't find it on my camera. It's lovely. We sat on the deck in the shade and drank fantastic single origin coffee and ate ricotta drizzled with honey on sourdough toast. Here's the link to Pilu: http://www.piluatfreshwater.com.au/the-kiosk.php

Signing off on another successful swim in a half submerged City of Sydney. Soon to float away. The problem is, when the rain stops the fires usually start.

PS: Have you noticed a whiny "poor me" tone creeping into my swimming reports? Mmm... I have. I always have a ready-made excuse for my inability to thrash Mr VB.

Note to self: stop whining and seek revenge. To steal the motto from Miss Hissy's school: 'Facta non verba'... I think that's it, without having to go and check her school blouse! It means: (better Google it to make sure I'm right) 'Deeds not words'. Dirty deeds...